Over 70 permits approved for import, export company warehouses in South Al Batinah

A’Rustaq: The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources, represented by the Directorate General of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources in South Al Batinah Governorate, approved 71 permits for import and export company warehouses in the governorate during 2025.

These permits included 63 warehouses in the Wilayat of Barka, six in the Wilayat of Al Musannah, and one warehouse each in the Wilayats of Nakhal and Wadi Al Maawil. This initiative was part of the application of warehouse accreditation requirements and included the qualification of 54 facilities to obtain ISO quality management system certificates.

Eng. Yousef Hamdan Al Ajmi, Director of the Food Safety and Quality Department in South Al Batinah Governorate, explained to Oman News Agency (ONA) that specialists conducted approximately 178 field visits to various food facilities, including water bottling plants, bakeries, farms, markets, and fish and meat shops. He added that 48 of these were joint visits carried out in coordination with several relevant authorities.

The Director of the Food Safety and Quality Department noted that during Food Safety Week 2026, held under the slogan “Food Safety is Everyone’s Responsibility,” several activities were implemented in the governorate. These included setting up awareness corners in commercial centers, delivering lectures in schools, and providing guidance to consumers on selecting safe foods, proper storage methods, and verifying expiration dates and packaging integrity. The programme also included educating workers at retail outlets on proper health practices and organizing school competitions in cooperation with the Directorate General of Education to promote food safety concepts through interactive methods.

He emphasised that Food Safety Week is an important annual initiative to enhance community awareness and highlight the importance of adhering to sound practices at all stages of food handling, from production to consumption. This contributes to reducing the risks of food contamination, preventing foodborne diseases, and ensuring that safe food reaches the consumer.